Thanks heaps for the input! I guess I got so well-trained in Fogger Building that I subconsciously assumed that all of these kinds of rebuildables were picky about wick density. So much so, in fact, that I haven't been paying enough attention to the length of the wick and where it's positioned.
The pressure system (+ raised coil deck) makes all the difference! It was quite a change from the old Fogger heaven/hell, with the additional discovery that I prefer the KFL's at 1 -1.2 ohms compared to the Fogger down around 0.7ohms. The KFL's kept spitting violently up at me until I took it up out of my Fogger-learned sub-ohmness and tamed the beast. With a small diameter well compressed coil (micro, I assume) the firing lagtime is noticeable but tolerably negligible because otherwise, with the tiny chimney design and a subohm coil the KFL can be a real .....y little dragon.